French president Emmanuel Macron has claimed that he convinced Donald Trump to keep US forces in Syria “for the long term” during the run-up to air strikes on Syrian weapons sites by French, US and UK forces on Saturday.
“Ten days ago, President Trump said the USA’s will is to disengage from Syria,” Macron said during a TV interview. “We convinced him that it was necessary to stay. Please be reassured we’ve convinced him that we had to stay on in the long-term.”
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across SyriaTHE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weaponsThe Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The fight for control of Ukraine's nuclear reactorsThe Explainer How serious is Donald Trump about US ownership of Kyiv's nuclear power plants?
-
The El Salvador mega-prison at the centre of Trump's deportation schemeThe Explainer Invoking a 1798 law, the US president has sent hundreds of alleged gang members to high-security prison called 'black hole of human rights'
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarrayIn the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Romania's election chaos risks international falloutIN THE SPOTLIGHT By barring far-right candidate Calin Georgescu from the country's upcoming electoral re-do, Romania places itself in the center of a broader struggle over European ultra-nationalism
-
Is the pro-Assad insurgency a threat to the new Syria?Today's Big Question Interim leader accuses regime loyalists and 'foreign backers' of trying to 'divide and destroy' the country
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
